AI as an SDR: Yonathan Cohen Details His ‘AI Employee’s’ Daily Workflow

In a recent LinkedIn post, Yonathan Cohen shares his experience integrating an AI assistant into his sales development process, effectively creating an “AI employee.” Cohen details the specific instructions he provided to the AI tool, Viktor.com, outlining how it handles crucial SDR tasks before the typical workday even begins.

Cohen’s approach highlights a strategic use of AI to augment human sales efforts, focusing on efficiency and data management. He frames the AI not as a replacement, but as a tireless assistant capable of performing repetitive, time-consuming tasks.

Automating Pre-Work with AI

The core of Cohen’s strategy involves delegating significant pre-work to his AI employee. This includes essential research, CRM updates, and call preparation. As Yonathan Cohen notes in his post, the AI is instructed to perform these duties overnight:

“Every night at 1am, research the 20 companies on this list. For each: what they sell, last funding, who runs sales. Post the sheet in #sales.”

This automation allows Cohen and his team to start their day with readily available, critical information. The AI’s role extends to maintaining the integrity of their sales data.

Maintaining CRM and Preparing for Calls

Beyond initial research, Cohen’s AI employee is tasked with diligently updating their CRM system. This ensures that the sales team is working with the most current information. Yonathan Cohen emphasizes the importance of data accuracy by stating:

“Then update every HubSpot record we touched yesterday. Fill missing titles and emails. Never delete anything.”

Furthermore, the AI assists with call preparation, a vital step for effective sales engagement. According to Yonathan Cohen, the AI generates concise briefs for each scheduled call:

“For each call on today’s calendar, write a 5-line brief: who, company, last email, what they care about, one question to ask.”

This proactive approach to call preparation equips the sales team with targeted insights, enabling more personalized and productive conversations.

Streamlining Follow-ups and Reporting

Cohen also leverages his AI employee for managing follow-up communications and providing daily sales reports. The AI is instructed to draft follow-up messages after calls, with the crucial step of seeking human approval before sending. Yonathan Cohen explains:

“Draft a follow-up for every call from yesterday. Don’t send. Ask me in Slack first.”

This ensures that all outgoing communication remains aligned with the team’s strategy and maintains a human touch. Additionally, the AI provides a concise daily sales report, summarizing key performance indicators.

The AI’s Morning Routine

The culmination of the AI’s overnight work is a morning prompt for human action. At 7:30 am, the AI delivers its sales report and awaits further instructions. Cohen highlights this efficiency:

“At 7:30am, post calls booked, replies and deals moved. 5 lines max.”

Cohen concludes his post by noting that by 8 am, the only outstanding item is the decision on sending drafted follow-ups, signified by a simple Slack message: “Send the follow-ups?” followed by a “thumbs up” emoji. This allows the rest of the day to be dedicated to actual calls.

Cohen’s insights offer a practical blueprint for businesses looking to integrate AI into their sales operations, demonstrating how specific, clear instructions can unlock significant productivity gains.